LIVE! A Music Calendar: Black Violin bring hip-hop meets classical sound to Fort Smith

By Pune Media On Apr 13, 2025

Black Violin’s Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus met on the first day of orchestra class in 1996 at Dillard High School of the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Classically trained by day, they faithfully put on their headphones and listened to the hottest rap records each night. Twenty years later, the Grammy-nominated classical-meets-hip-hop duo has come a long way: touring with Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, opening for the Wu-Tang Clan and working with the likes of Alessia Cara, 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne.

Sometimes playing as many as 200 shows a year, Black Violin has released two independent, self-financed albums before putting out the acclaimed “Stereotypes” in 2016, followed by 2019’s “Take the Stairs,” which was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2020 GRAMMYs.

Their latest single and video “Smoke” was produced by Phil Beaudreau (Dr. Dre, Justin Bieber, The Game, Lalah Hathaway). The song is the second single from their upcoming album “Full Circle,” set for release later this spring.

Black Violin performs at 8 p.m. May 3 at TempleLive Fort Smith. Tickets are $31 to $59 at Ticketmaster.com.

RIVER VALLEY

TempleLive — The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show, April 15; Sister Hazel, April 18; Waylon Wyatt, April 19; “The Lord of the Rings” & “The Hobbit:” The Concert, and The Music of Hans Zimmer & Others: A Celebration of Film Music, April 24; That Arena Rock Show & Special Guests, April 25; Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Bobby Rush, May 1; Black Violin, May 3; Jeremy Camp, May 4; Texas Hippie Coalition, May 16; Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Samantha Fish, 8 p.m. May 17; Frank Foster, May 31; Ahren Belisle, Oct. 17.

Riverfront Park Amp – Levitt AMP Fort Smith Music Series concerts start at 6 p.m. Ruthie Foster’s special pop-up show at The Bakery District, April 17, Dolly Ave, April 24 and Southern Avenue, May 1.

Mad Ox Bar & Tap — Jonivan Jones, April 25.

Breedlove Auditorium — SJSOE: Jazz Catz, 7 p.m. April 15; SJSOE: Jazz Band, 7 p.m. April 17; Percussion Ensemble Concert, 7 p.m. April 18; Rock Lab Concert, 7 p.m. April 24; SJSOE: Orchestra, 7 p.m. April 28; Brass Ensemble Concert, 3 p.m. May 4.

Send your music events to [email protected].

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